feeder cups?

[bugaboo]

While I have been reading some past posts, I read about some people using feeder cups to put worms in. I am trying to picture how this is done, is it hung from the side of the screen somehow?

 

[DeviousMike]

You could hang it on the side of the screen via bent wire hangers that you have taken apart and manipulated. Also, you could try hanging it from your branches, vines, wooden dowels etc. Zip ties work wonders as well. Be creative.

 

[jojackson]

I find a favourable position is hanging or semi-permanently attached (by whatever means) just below your chams basking perch.

 

[Maurer3D]

I always set mine on the bottom of the cage near some low hanging branches and out of the drip path of the leaves (to avoid prey drowning).

I don't put it near the normal perches to avoid your chameleon getting lazy or cooking the prey.

 

[ju5t1n]

For my cup I used a clip from a clipboard and cut it a bit to make it smaller then zip tied that to my cage so I can take the cup in and out. I got tired of cutting the zip ties every time a cricket died or poop was in the cup.

 

[bugaboo]

Great ideas, think I will try a mini bulldog clip tied near his basking spot. Sometimes he does eat the worms from my hand which is fun!

 

[theresaintucson]

I cut some plastic Dixie cups down to 3 inches so the feeders couldn't climb out easily. I used my hole punch to punch two holes in the cups. I used some plastic coated wires and strung them through the holes. I strung the wires though the cage screen and twisted them. No need to make holes in the screen either.
I can hear my chams when they hit the worms I've put in the feeder cups. It's like someone scoring a layup.

 

[theresaintucson]

If you put a small hole in the cup, any water will drain out too. I make sure the cups are placed away from the drippers and below my chams' usual basking spots so they can see the prey and come and get it.

 

[Dez]

These are just quick feeder cups that I have on my baby cages to put wax worms in.. since wax worms cant climb or hang on to anything. they are not quite deep enough for crickets.

I attached these to the screen with a little zip tie.. but you can attach to branches as well. Just put the cup low enough that the cham can look down and see the goodies inside.

ju5t1n has a good point about having to cut the zip tie when the cup gets dirty... so you may want to use a twist tie.

oh and don't use clear cups make them frosted of totally solid color.. (solid would be better but thats all I had at the time) If you use clear cups the cham may try to eat the food though the plastic not understanding there is a barrier there... He may hurt his tongue

 

[jojackson]

I don't put it near the normal perches to avoid your chameleon getting lazy or cooking the prey....

If your concerned about it getting lazy, why use a cup at all? No cups in the wild. I gave up using a cup due to fiddling about with it to clean it, and homer did get lazy anyway, climbing right on the cup trying to get himself inside!
In the end I didn't bother and my female has never used a cup.
Cup feeding is for owners imo, Great for a sick or convalescing animal, but that its it.

 

[DeviousMike]

I don't put it near the normal perches to avoid your chameleon getting lazy or cooking the prey....

If your concerned about it getting lazy, why use a cup at all? No cups in the wild. I gave up using a cup due to fiddling about with it to clean it, and homer did get lazy anyway, climbing right on the cup trying to get himself inside!
In the end I didn't bother and my female has never used a cup.
Cup feeding is for owners imo, Great for a sick or convalescing animal, but that its it.

Well there are some feeders that just don't stay on your plants, vines or perches. Butterworms for one do not grip very well and fall a lot. So it't not just for the owners but it is helpful for chams because they will not go all the way to the bottom to find fallen worms.

 

[krknieriem]

i read on here to take a half gallon milk jug and cut the side out and put screen on the inside so the feeders will crawl on the wall so he can see them, if you search the posts i have seen pics of what im talking about, it has worked well with me with the crickets and they dont really jump out after you dump them in. the posts i read also said they do well with the dubias, because they cant hide and he can see them but i imagine it would also work with the worms

 

[jojackson]

but it is helpful for chams because they will not go all the way to the bottom to find fallen worms......

LOL, they will if they're hungry mate! Imo most folk tend to overfeed and/or feed too regularly (I refer to mature animals not growing juveniles). I think it's much healthier to keep them just a little bit hungry, more keen to feed in general and more active as a result.
Chameleons do venture onto ground despite being arboreal creatures.
Cups are handy for feeders that hide, like some roaches, though.

 

[DeviousMike]

I do both free range and cup feed. I have observed that more often then not, especially with free ranged crickets, they wait for them to get close to their perch and then shoot them. With my cup, they actually have to move to it on the other side of the cage and a bit down. So I either have really smart chams, or really lazy ones when it comes to free range. Or both?!

 

[jojackson]

Maybe just really smart ones, mine get as close as possible before shooting, dont think Ive seen a full length tongue more than once or twice. Makes sense if you want to be sure not to miss.

 

[DeviousMike]

Maybe just really smart ones, mine get as close as possible before shooting, dont think Ive seen a full length tongue more than once or twice. Makes sense if you want to be sure not to miss.

I've seen some really long shots which I estimate to be almost the length of their bodies.